August 31, 2012 9:24pm EDTAugust 31, 2012 7:52pm EDTThe Arizona Supreme Court is considering the fate of a sales tax cut ballot measure in suburban Glendale that now links directly to the fate of the Coyotes sale. The team's sale remains in limbo.

Mike Sunnucks Phoenix Business Journal

Published on Aug. 31, 2012

Aug. 31, 2012

PHOENIX—The Arizona Supreme Court is considering the fate of a sales tax cut ballot measure in suburban Glendale that now links directly to the fate of the Phoenix Coyotes sale.

The case includes both sides of the old "see the forest for the trees" saying.

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Arguments put before the court on the matter encompass legal technicalities as well as bigger-picture issues related to state and local election laws. How the court rules on the Glendale matter could not only impact the Coyotes deal, but also future legal fights over Arizona ballot measures.

The state's high court is looking at the city of Glendale's petition regarding an Arizona Court of Appeals court ruling it lost last week.

The appeals court sided with a political group called Save Glendale Now and its argument that it can take a ballot measure to voters asking them to reverse a five-year, $125 million sales tax increased approved by the Glendale City Council.

The city worries without the sales tax revenue it won't be able afford a $300 million arena management deal with prospective Coyotes buyer Greg Jamison. The city is presenting new arena deal options to Jamison this week because of the impact of the possible sales tax reversal.

The bigger picture aspects of the case are what powers Glendale city clerk Pam Hanna has in disqualifying ballot measures. Hanna cited technical, paperwork and misleading language in her original disqualification of the SGN measure. Glendale is putting forward those arguments again in its Supreme Court appeal.

A pro-Coyotes group called Glendale First has also filed a brief in support of the city's position, especially related to some paperwork issues related to SGN.

SGN's own argument filed today questions whether the city properly filed its appeal with the Arizona Supreme Court because approval of that action was done in executive session and not via a public vote.

SGN is backed by Sanderson Ford, Hickman's Family Farms and the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona.

The state supreme court is expected to rule before the end of next week on the Glendale appeal. That is when the Maricopa County Elections Department needs to know whether to include the sales tax cut on the city's general election ballot.